'Troopergate' ruling says ex-official broke the law

Thursday

Nov 26, 2009 at 2:00 AM

Oliver Mackson

ALBANY — The former acting superintendent of the state police violated state Public Officers Law during the so-called "Troopergate" scandal but won't face any penalty, the state Commission on Public Integrity announced Tuesday.

Preston Felton, who rose through the ranks in Middletown-based Troop F and was acting superintendent for about a year, heeded requests by William Howard, the state's former assistant secretary for homeland security, to create documents and transmit information about former Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's use of state aircraft. He admitted his conduct as part of a settlement with the commission, according to public records.

Felton, of the Town of Wallkill, retired last year from the state police.

The commission also fined former state Communications Director Darren Dopp $10,000 for his role in using the state police to damage Bruno. At the time, Bruno was a political opponent of Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

Howard and another former Spitzer administration official, Richard Baum, who also lived in the Town of Wallkill, reached settlements with the commission and admitted their violations of the law.